I am 30, female with skin cancer. How to treat it safely?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 30-year-old female who has recently been diagnosed with skin cancer. While the diagnosis itself was concerning, I am now grappling with anxiety and uncertainty about the next steps and the potential severity of my condition.

Could you please provide some guidance on the different types of skin cancer, specifically melanoma?
What are the key factors that determine the stage and severity of the disease?
Additionally, I am seeking information on the available treatment options, including their effectiveness and potential side effects.
As a young individual, I am particularly concerned about the long-term implications and the impact this diagnosis may have on my overall health and quality of life.

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand your concern.

Melanoma is a tumor produced by the malignant transformation of melanocytes. Melanocytes are derived from the neural crest; consequently, melanomas although they usually occur on the skin. The different types are:

Superficial spreading melanoma: Constitutes approximately 70 percent of melanomas, usually flat, but may become irregular and elevated in later stages. The lesions average 0.78 in diameter, with variegated colors, as well as peripheral notches, indentations, or both
Nodular melanoma: Accounts for approximately 15 to 30 percent of melanoma diagnoses. The tumors typically are blue-black but may lack pigment in some circumstances.
Lentigo malignant melanoma: Represents four to ten percent of melanomas. The tumors are often larger than three cm, flat, and tan, with marked notching of the borders. They begin as small, freckle-like lesions.
Acral lentiginous melanoma: Constitutes two to eight percent of melanomas in Whites and 35 to 60 percent of them in dark-skinned people. It may appear on the palms and soles as flat, tan, or brown stains with irregular borders; subungual lesions can be brown or black, with ulcerations in later stages.

Medical therapy is used as adjuvant treatment in advanced stages of unresectable or metastatic melanoma and, most recently, for resected, advanced-stage disease.

Regarding the medications available, approvals from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) include Mekinist, Tafinlar, Yervoy, Zelboraf, Keytruda, Nivolumab (Opdivo), and Opdualag.

Trametinib is a MEK (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitor) that is indicated for melanoma with BRAF (B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase) V600E or V600K mutations.
Dabrafenib is a BRAF protein kinase inhibitor indicated for melanoma with BRAF V600E mutation.
Ipilimumab is a targeted T-cell antibody that binds to CTLA-4(Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4).
Vemurafenib is an inhibitor of some mutated forms of BRAF serine-threonine kinase, including BRAF V600E.

I hope this answers your query.

Thank you.

Regards.